COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR WILLIAM D. FORD, Michigan, Chairman JOSEPH M. GAYDOS, Pennsylvania MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California PETER J. VISCLOSKY, Indiana RON DE LUGO, Virgin Islands JAIME B. FUSTER, Puerto Rico WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania, CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina Joyce T. Berry, Ph.D., U.S. Commissioner on Aging, Administration on Aging. William D. Bechill, School of Social Work, University of Maryland.... Michael Mangano, Deputy Inspector General, Department of Health and Robert L. York, Acting Director for Program Evaluation in Human Service Areas, U.S. General Accounting Office, Program Evaluation and Methodolo- PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT: IMPACT ON PARTICIPATION AND SERVICE DELIVERY THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1991 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SELECT COMMITTEE ON Washington, DC. The joint hearing met, pursuant to call, at 9:30 a.m., in_Room 2175, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edward R. Roybal (chairman of the Select Committee on Aging) and Hon. Matthew J. Martinez (chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Education an Labor) presiding. Members present: Select Committee on Aging: Representatives Roybal, Downey, Richardson, Stallings, Bilbray, Pallone, DeLauro, Snowe, Boehlert, Fawell, Morella, Franks, Hobson, Nichols, Nussle, Barrett. Subcommittee on Human Resources: Martinez, Lowey. Staff present: Select Committee on Aging: Richard Veloz, Staff Director; Paul Ceja, Counsel; Mary Hanlon and Jose Vazquez, Professional Staff Members; Kathy Desmond, Staff Assistant. Subcommittee on Human Resources: Eric Jensen, Staff Director; Dan Adcock, Legislative Assistant; Roger McClellan, Legislative Assistant; Jennifer Amstutz, Staff Assistant. Minority Staff present: Mary Ann Chaffee, Professional Staff Member. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN EDWARD R. ROYBAL Chairman ROYBAL. The committee will come to order. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a joint hearing of the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Human Resources and the Select Committee on Aging. I am joined today by the Chairman of that subcommittee, Mr. Martinez, as well as two past commissioners, one of them a former secretary of HEW. Today's hearing, will focus on a very important subject, the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, and we will examine some of the major issues facing reauthorization. We will have a very qualified group of witnesses including the present Commissioner on Aging and the first Commissioner on Aging. The comments of these individuals who know the Act so well, and who understand the history and intent of the Act, should not only prove interesting but very beneficial. As we enter the last decade of the 20th century, we are very much aware of the fact that the elderly population is growing rapidly. This understanding, however, in many areas is not translated (1) |